Providing electronic content in association with a request for physical content

Abstract

Disclosed systems and methods provide media content through an electronic commerce server. In one implementation, a method for providing electronic content is provided. The method includes receiving an order of a user. The order of the user may comprise a request of the user for a physical copy of media content. The commerce server may determine whether to provide to the user an electronic copy of the media content based at least on the order. Further, a request to access the electronic copy of the media content is received from the user. The method further grants the user access to the electronic copy of the media content based at least on the request to access the electronic copy of the media content.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 a computer-readable data store storing computer-executable instructions; and 
 a computing device in communication with the computer-readable data store, the computing device configured by the computer-executable instructions to at least:
 receive an indication that a user has purchased an electronic copy of media content; 
 in response to the indication, grant access rights to the user for the electronic copy of the media content; 
 determine, based at least partly on the indication, to provide a physical copy of the media content to the user; 
 determine that the physical copy of the media content is not available to be provided to the user; 
 determine a future time at which the physical copy of the media content will be available to be provided to the user; and 
 at the future time, cause the physical copy of the media content to be provided to the user. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the future time is a release date associated with physical distribution of the media content. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the future time is determined based at least in part on at least one of a mailing address associated with the user, a billing address associated with the user, a time zone of the mailing address, or a time zone of the billing address. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured by the computer-executable instructions to:
 determine that the electronic copy of the media content is available; and 
 set the access rights granted to the user to indicate that the user currently has access to the electronic copy. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured by the computer-executable instructions to determine that the electronic copy of the media content is not available. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the computing device is further configured by the computer-executable instructions to:
 determine that the user will receive access to the electronic copy at the future time; and 
 set the access rights granted to the user to indicate that the user will receive access to the electronic copy at the future time. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the future time is a first future time, and wherein the computing device is further configured by the computer-executable instructions to:
 determine that the user will receive access to the electronic copy at a second future time; and 
 set the access rights granted to the user to indicate that the user will receive access to the electronic copy at the second future time. 
 
     
     
       8. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 under control of a computing device with specific computer-executable instructions,
 receiving an indication that a user has purchased an electronic copy of media content; 
 in response to the indication, providing the user with access to the electronic copy of the media content; 
 determining, based at least partly on the indication, to provide a physical copy of the media content to the user; 
 determining that the physical copy of the media content is not available; 
 determining a future time at which the physical copy of the media content will be available; and 
 at the future time, causing the physical copy of the media content to be provided to the user. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 determining that the electronic copy of the media content is not available; and 
 determining that the electronic copy of the media content will be available at the future time, 
 wherein providing the user with access to the electronic copy of the media content comprises providing the user with access to the electronic copy at the future time. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the media content comprises at least one of a motion picture, a television program, a collection of television programs, a song, a collection of songs, computer software, a game, or a book. 
     
     
       11. The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the physical copy of the media content comprises at least one of an optical disc, a memory stick, a flash drive, or printed physical matter. 
     
     
       12. The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein providing the user with access to the electronic copy of the media content comprises:
 storing the electronic copy of the media content in an electronic library associated with an account of the user; and 
 providing the user with access to the electronic library. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein providing the user with access to the electronic copy of the media content comprises causing at least one of streaming or downloading the media content to a computing device associated with the user. 
     
     
       14. The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the media content comprises a season of a television program, and wherein the future time corresponds to an end of the season. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more computer systems, configure the one or more computer systems to perform operations comprising:
 receiving an indication that a user has purchased an electronic copy of media content; 
 determining, based at least partly on the indication, to provide a physical copy of the media content to the user; 
 determining a time at which the physical copy of the media content is available to be provided to the user; and 
 at the determined time, causing the physical copy of the media content to be provided to the user. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the determined time is a present time. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the determined time is a future time. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
 in response to the indication, providing the user with access to the electronic copy of the media content. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
 transmitting a message to the user regarding the time at which the physical copy of the media content is available. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the electronic copy of the media content is an electronic version of the physical copy.